The recent celebration of Mother's Day on May 11, 2014 had the characteristic fanfare involving the exchange of gifts, cards, well wishes and the display of love and appreciation that has become the norm in The Bahamas and other countries across the globe.
While mothers should be celebrated every day and all year round, a special day earmarked to salute mothers is in order in as much as it causes nations to pause and pay tribute to the custodians of our future and the conscience of nations.
Sharing the pain of the Chibok mothers
As we celebrated Mother's Day two days ago, it was literally impossible to block out the agony and pain of the mothers of the schoolgirls who had been abducted in Chibok - a local government area of Borno State in northern Nigeria. Chibok has received a lot of attention, albeit not for the most flattering reason. It was in this town that more than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped by the terrorist group Boko Haram.
It is noteworthy that Boko Haram, when translated from the Hausa language, means "western education is forbidden". This sect, which has committed several atrocities over the past few years, has threatened to sell the innocent schoolgirls in the slave markets of neighboring countries.
It is appropriate that this heinous act has attracted worldwide attention and become a rallying call for a woman's right to education. Bahamians and mothers in our country should join the movement #BringBackOurGirls to support the safe return of the kidnapped girls and continue our advocacy against the infringement of the rights of women and girls the world over. Our prayers are with our girls' families in general and the mothers in particular during this difficult period.
Virtuous women of our country
The Bahamas is blessed with political stability and a high level of success achieved over the years. In spite of our challenges, it would be disingenuous of us not to acknowledge that we live in a relatively peaceful country with tremendous potential. By the same token, our most significant resources are not the sun, sand and sea or any mineral resources within our shores. Rather, our greatest resource remains our people.
It is incumbent upon us to recognize this reality as we move forward, upward and onward together, a generation after political independence. Throughout our history, the great women of this nation have played major roles and have succeeded in advancing our political, social and economic goals. Standing with the men of The Bahamas, the mothers of our country have fought against social injustice, inequity, discrimination and marginalization within our archipelago. The Bahamian woman has exemplified the qualities of the virtuous woman described in the Bible.
A renewed mandate
It is arguable that in this new dispensation, the greatest challenge for mothers in The Bahamas is the raising of the next generation, into whose hands the future of our nation will pass. The level of crime, disregard for law and reverence for God in The Bahamas calls for an introspective look at ourselves as we raise our children.
This is important considering the historic magnitude of respect and deep love children have for their mothers. The special place that mothers hold in the hearts of their offspring, especially their sons, gives us unique access to those sons and the ability to influence their behavior. While this should not be abused, it should be used to keep our children grounded and focused on being good ambassadors of The Bahamas.
In the aftermath of the Mother's Day festivities and accompanying gifts, we, the mothers of this country, must rededicate our lives to the awesome task of building nation builders, molding the characters of future leaders and standing up for what is right and in the best interest of our Bahamaland.
This renewed mandate is not restricted to the minor children, but extends to adult children that may have lost their way - for a mother's love should be eternal. On the crime front, there are no greater crime stoppers than mothers and true (tough) love demands that we do not condone inappropriate behavior.
A fitting tribute to a mother
The National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs are now in full gear and NBA fans are always grateful for this period in the post-season to display their support for their teams. Indeed there are bound to be moments of joy and heartbreak, as winners and losers journey on the road to the championship round. However, in the midst of the competitive series and basketball games, a remarkable tribute to a mother stole the headlines.
Following the scandal involving the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, Donald Sterling, the announcement that Kevin Durant was named the NBA's most valuable player (MVP) dominated the headlines. However, the main headline was to be made at Durant's MVP acceptance speech, which can only be fully appreciated on screen. Durant stated: "We weren't supposed to be here. You made us believe, kept us off the street, put clothes on our backs, food on the table. When you didn't eat, you made sure we ate. You went to sleep hungry. You sacrificed for us. You're the real MVP."
Invaluable motherhood
Durant's mother was in tears as she watched an appreciative, respectful, sincere and humble son recognize and laud her before the whole world. At that moment, one can only imagine that if she had not believed that her sacrifices were worth it, her son's speech (and actions to date) confirmed that, and the gain was worth the pain she bore.
Bahamian mothers have similar stories of pain, long suffering and sacrifices for their children. While we will not all have children that become the NBA's MVP, we can raise children that become MVPs in their fields of specialization and more importantly good citizens of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.
In the words of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, "If you bungle raising your children, I don't think whatever else you do well matters very much." The aforementioned story of Durant is a testament to the importance of our role as mothers in the successes of our children and betterment of our nation. Let us recommit ourselves to this important role, to invaluable motherhood. Our commitment in this regard will secure our place as the real MVPs. Happy belated Mother's Day!
o Arinthia S. Komolafe is an attorney-at-law. Comments on this article can be directed to a.s.komolafe510@gmail.com.

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